DARE Program

Overview of Classroom and DARE Training

In designing a comprehensive plan to combat substance abuse in the community, we felt that one piece of that plan needed to be universally administered classroom training. We selected the DARE program to serve as the core curriculum at fifth grade and then built around that in other grades - taking into consideration the school's basic health curriculum as well.

Each of our classroom components is described below. More detailed information on each of them can be obtained by using the drop down menus above or by clicking on the links in the text of this page.

Officer Brynn Dunne DARE Class December 2017

Second Grade Safety Lessons

This is a series of 4 short lessons, in each second grade classroom, that introduce the DARE officers and emphasize personal safety, medicine safety, and similar issues. It concludes with a simple tobacco themed presentation by Dover Youth to Youth called Samantha Skunk, which features costume characters acting out a story. Click here for an Overview of the 2nd grade curriculum or go to the Second Grade pull down menu above.

Fourth Grade TRUTH About Tobacco Lessons

This short curriculum focuses on tobacco consequences [Lesson #1] and then follows with information on how the tobacco industry advertises to hide those consequences [Lesson #2]. Click here for an Overview of the 4th grade TRUTH curriculum or go to the Fourth Grade pull down menu above.

On September 24, 2015, Senior Warden Dave Akridge, DARE Coordinator Wayne Rockey, and Secretary John Pond, Jr. of the Moses Paul Lodge of Masons #96, Dover, NH, gathered at the Dover Middle School with Chief Colarusso to present the Chief with a donation of $1,000 for the D.A.R.E. Program. Other police officers and 5th grade DARE students were also present. Most of the money was raised at the annual D.A.R.E. Breakfast put on by the Lodge in April of 2015. The Grand Masonic Lodge of NH also contributed toward the total donation. The money raised will help fund the D.A.R.E. Program.

This is a 10-unit program that is taught weekly in Dover fifth grades over the fall and early winter. This comprehensive program focuses on topics such as underage drinking, marijuana, tobacco, media, peer pressure and decision making. We have added to the Core DARE program to further expand the message and power of the program, including these components (go to the 5th grade pull down menu above for more information on DARE in Dover or an overview of the 5th grade lessons or any of the following components of our fifth grade program):Core DARE Curriculum

An expanded DARE essay contest.

Each student completing the DARE program is eligible to receive a laminated photo ID that they can use at local store for a discount. Click here to go to the Drug Free ID section of this web site.

Parents of fifth graders are invited to participate in a series of 2-hour night classes called the Dover Parent Program to help them understand what is being taught to their kids. Click here to go to the Parent Program section of this web site.

Other Classroom and School Assembly Presentations

We have developed a Sixth Grade classroom Presentation on Alcohol and the Brain.

Each year Youth to Youth students provide a presentation to all 8th graders called: The 8 Things the Alcohol Industry Doesn't Want You to Think About, which focuses on underage drinking consequences and how the industry's advertising minimizes or hides the real risks - with particular emphasis on the risk of sexual assault of young drinkers. Click here to go to the Youth to Youth section of this web site to see other Y2Y presentations or other activities by that group.

High School Assemblies on Addiction and how to help yourself or a friend battling alcoholism or drug addiction are sponsored every other year.

We are currently working on an addiction themed classroom presentation for ninth graders.

More information on our assemblies and classroom programs is available in the pull down menus above or by clicking on the links on this page.

The Youth to Youth section of this web site has additional information on a variety of presentations they provide to schools and conferences on request.